


Always Alright

by hunters_retreat



Category: Dark Angel
Genre: F/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, dubious consent due to heat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-05
Updated: 2014-04-05
Packaged: 2018-01-18 07:27:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,546
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1419627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hunters_retreat/pseuds/hunters_retreat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alec thinks about his life because it's better than thinking about the position he's currently in. </p>
            </blockquote>





	Always Alright

 

It was, perhaps, the strangest of nights.  Considering the life that X5-494 had lived up until that night, it was saying quite a bit.  Then again, assassinations and military warfare were common place, safe, comfortable material.  Sex was a refuge from the terminally depressing absence of purpose and the escape from memories that dove into territory he ignored and refused to acknowledge.  Why then, did he find himself in this position?

 

In his mind, he still thought of himself as X5-494 and often wondered if Max did the same of herself.  Did the other escapees think of themselves as names or numbers?  Did Ben?  Did his genetic make up cling to the ordered life that Manticore had given him, and the number that marked him theirs?  Or was it a matter of escapees versus releases?  Did you think of yourself as a number because you never tried to get out?  Did you think of yourself as a name because you did?  Was it as integral to their personalities as all that?  You wanted to escape bad enough, to become an individual that you embraced it completely? 

 

He cursed the thoughts even while he embraced them for a few moments.  Better to embrace these than the others that wanted to crowd in.  The irony of the situation was not lost on him, that he was the one here where others would die to be.  A place her had once been ordered to be.  Now however it was a situation he really would have avoided at almost any cost.  Not that the situation was that repulsive, because there was always an upside where sex was involved, but one thing he hated was complicated and this.  Well.  Complicated wasn’t exactly what came to mind when he thought about this.  Fucked up.  Yeah, that summed it up.

 

“Alec?  You alright?”  The voice was a little to slow, a little too sultry in it’s delivery and he knew that this itch still wasn’t done being scratched.  Hated himself a little for having given into it in the first place.  He should have just left her but damn if Original Cindy hadn’t made him feel like he had to responsible for her tonight. 

 

He didn’t look at the woman beside him, didn’t react as her hand trailed up his spine and across his shoulders in a light caress.  Her fingers gently soothed the raised skin where she had broken skin with teeth and nails and passion too needy to repress.  She was gentle now, but he knew better, knew that in a few minutes that would pass unless he gave in to her caresses now.  He didn’t want to though.  He wanted it to be rough and hard and jagged, wanted to feel his body abused and used for this single purpose, simply a tool for a need.  He needed to keep it this way.  Really.  It was better to remember he was just a body.

 

 “Yeah.  I’m always alright.”  His self-deprecating half smile came into play even though she couldn’t’ see it, years of hiding insecurities and pain behind the mask of arrogance and swagger didn’t stop because her eyes were otherwise occupied.  He felt her gaze traveling his body and he suppressed the desire to squirm under it.  He’d had worse things to squirm from than her and he’d never done so and wasn’t going to start now. 

 

 “Alec.”  The voice was harder now, demand and heat radiating from her in waves that he knew would haunt his dreams.  Knew because he wanted it so bad he had buried it.  Passion and sex weren’t something to bury for Alec and it was the need to keep her at arm’s length every day that made him vulnerable to her stare, to her demands tonight.

  

She was moving, shifting around him until she could push at his shoulders.  He let himself lay back as his hands fell to Max’s hips as she slid on top of him, hungry mouth and aching body pressing hard against him.

 

 He didn’t bother suppressing a moan because no matter what else was happening, Alec could appreciate just how talented Max’s tongue could be.  It was too bad this hadn’t started when he’d met her back in Manticore.  Then he would have just brushed her off as a breeding partner and nothing more.  Out here, it was different.  It was a choice he made and that choice made the difference.

 

 **

 

 The day had been normal enough, though Max had called off work and Original Cindy just said she wasn’t feeling well.  Normal was his usual self but that never bothered Alec since Normal still looked at him like he was a god of some type.  Sometimes he did.  Luckily today was one of them and he just smiled when people complained. 

 

 A few drinks after the fact, Alec was happily relaxed and his Pony cohorts were beginning to arrive.  His eyes scanned the crowd, taking in the atmosphere and that did more to relax him than the alcohol ever did.  There were some drawbacks to the whole enhanced metabolism after all.  Sketch and the OC were drinking in the corner though Original Cindy seemed to have her mind on the pool table.  Didn’t seem to bother Sketch though since he was just as captivated by the woman they were both watching slide the pool cue between her fingers.  He thought about walking out, avoiding his coworkers who had yet to see him, but then decided it might be a good night for some company.

  

He downed a shot then took his beer over to the table.

 

 “Look what the cat drug in.”  He said with a smile.  They both looked up at him, surprised by his appearance and obviously oblivious to his approach.  He moved quietly, it was the result of too many years of training, something instinctive that would never really change, but he hadn’t been that quiet.  He smirked.  “Which game you looking at?” He asked, his head indicating the table closest to them.

  

Cindy smiled.  “You see that fine little lady over there?  Original Cindy can taste her all the way from here.”

 

 Sketchy frowned at her, shaking his head.  “Dream on.  That one is all mine.”

 

 “Really?”  Alec asked.

 

 “Yep.”

 

 “Care to make a wager?”  Alec’s grin was small but Sketchy laughed. 

 

 Original Cindy shook her head.  “Boy, don’t you know better than to make a bet on a woman’s bed?  It’s disrespectful.”

 

 “And?”  Alec asked.  He didn’t really mean any disrespect to the woman.  It was actually disrespect to Sketchy though the fact that he thought he stood a chance with her made Alec realize he had to rescue her from a fate worse than Manticore.

  

“And you don’t stand a chance against me anyway.”

 

 Alec laughed, taking a long drink.  “What do you say Sketchy?”

 

 The bet was on and Alec was kind enough to let the taller man make his moves first.  After all, he had the training while all Sketch had was an amazing amount of confidence that was, clearly, misplaced.

 

 Sketch wasn’t doing too badly, though even without hearing them, he could see that he was making a few misses.  He leaned in to say something and she leaned subtly away.  A minute later he said something right and she laughed, letting her fingers rest on his arm for a moment but his follow up was, again, misjudged and she was backing off again.  It was a yo-yo act and Alec was confident that by the time he made his move she’d be begging for a little chivalry and easy going banter. 

 

 “Oh hell no.” 

 

 Alec looked away from Sketch and the wager of the night to see what Cindy was looking at.  He watched as Max walked down the steps.  Her dress was just this side of decent, short with slits up the thigh, low cut top, and hot enough to make a man drool.  Her makeup was fresh and hair framed about her face in a way that made her more than a little exotic.  Alec knew well enough not to touch, but even knowing it she was still temptation in poured on black. 

 

 It took him a moment to figure out what Cindy was upset about, but then it became crystal clear.  The bar was packed, but where most people tried to give each other what little personal space they could, Max was invading the space of every man she came across.  Her eyes were slightly lidded, her smile slow and sensuous as she slid past, brushing against arms and shoulders and thighs, making eyes follow her as she made her way to Original Cindy. 

 

 “Oh no Boo.  We better get you back home.”

 

 “Scratching time.”  She said with a friendly smile.  “And I can see all sort of scratching posts.” 

 

 “Oh god.”  Alec said, downing the rest of his beer.  He didn’t know about the scratching post thing, but he really didn’t want to be a part of this.  He should have left when he saw the others come in.  He knew a little about what Max was going through but he’d never really seen it first hand.  It was a mistake however, to bring attention to himself.

 

 Max’s eyes narrowed slightly as she made an obvious perusal of his body.  “Alec,” her voice was low and enticing as she started to move closer to him, her smile open and inviting. 

 

 “Go home Boo.”  Cindy said, moving to catch Max’s arm and stop her from getting any closer to Alec. 

 

 Max’s eyes opened wider for a moment, then looked at Cindy.  She took a deep breath, seeming to clear her head.  “Yeah.  Maybe I should.”

 

 “Yeah, you should.”

 

 Max took a few steps, then looked back at them, her eyes lidded again.  One of the men approached her and she focused on him, her smile promising nothing but sin.  “Hi.  What’s your name?”

 

 “Lee.”

 

 “You look like a good time.”  He opened his mouth to speak and she pressed her fingers to his mouth, smiling wider.  “Don’t talk.  Just come.”

 

 Original Cindy groaned.  “Save her Alec.”

 

 “What?  Why me?”

 

 “Because you can kick his ass if he tries to kick yours.”

 

 “Max is a big girl.  If she wants to play, let her.”

 

 Cindy gave him the look and shook her head in disapproval.  “Max wouldn’t do this and you know it.  This is just another one of those things your people did to her.  She’s helped you out before Alec, time to repay the favor.”

 

 Alec groaned but found himself getting between Max and her good time pal.  “Come on Max.  I think you’ve had enough fun time tonight.”

 

 “What the hell man?”  The other guy demanded, pushing Alec from behind as he tried to get Max to OC.

 

 Alec rolled his eyes.  “Fine.”  Without another word, he turned around and let a single fist fly.  He connected squarely and the man crumpled to the ground.  “Anyone else?”  he asked, eyeing the men who seemed to be shooting him looks.  No one answered so he turned back to Max and Cindy.

  

Max gave a crooked little grin.  “Alec, I didn’t think you cared.  Are you jealous over little ol’ me?”  She was pressed up against him almost before he knew she was moving, her hands running up his chest to stroke at his shoulders.  “What do you say we go back to my place and complete your mission soldier?”

 

 Alec grabbed her hands and pulled them off his shoulders.  Not that it didn’t feel good, but there was enough trouble in their lives without this added complication, namely Asha and Logan and a virus and the whole world turning against transgenics. 

 

 “Your mission?”  Cindy asked.

 

 “Not a good time to ask.”  He said, trying to figure out what to do.  He realized there really was only one course of action.  He had to get her out of here and find a way to keep her out of the public.  He smiled down at Max then, one hand falling to her hip and gripping tight.  “Yeah, let’s get out of here.  Your place is closest.”

 

 Cindy’s eyes snapped wide and he pulled Max into him, looking over her shoulder and mouthed “trust me” to Cindy.  Not that she did, or at least not that she did when it was Max’s virtue on the line.  It wasn’t like he could force her to do anything she didn’t want in this state.  Honestly Original Cindy should be more worried about him but he knew that wouldn’t cross her mind.  His hope was that he would get her back to her place, tie her to the bed and leave her there until this thing was over. 

 

 The first part of the plan went off without a hitch.  Max let herself be led into the apartment, but no sooner had he locked the door than she’d spun him around and pinned him to it. 

 

 “Max, do you really want to do this.”  He said, keeping his words soft and calm.  “Think about it.  You and I, not really a good mix.” 

 

 She leaned forward, nipping at his throat lightly.  “Oh, I think this could be a really good mix.”  She said, pressing her body against his and damn that felt too good and he had to bite his lip to keep any embarrassing noise from escaping. 

 

 “Yeah.  Yeah, okay.”  He said, wrapping his arms around her waist and keeping her tight against him as he walked her towards her bed.  Her lips continued to roam, exploring his exposed skin and their progress was halted a few times when Max would lick at the lobe of his ear or when she scraped fingernails against his back, pressing hard enough to be felt through his shirt. 

 

 He felt the bed behind her and let go, pushing her back until she was spread onto the mattress underneath him.  He swallowed hard, reminding himself of all the reasons he was walking away from this; co-worker, while not one of his issues was one of hers, transgenic that would kill him in the morning, emotional entanglements, and too many other layers to count. 

 

 He knelt between her thighs and pushed them apart as he began unbuckling his belt.  Keeping it in hand, he leaned forward, pressing hard against her.  She moaned as he did, “Yeah Alec.”

 

 “Kitty has claws.”  He said, biting the flesh just behind her ear.  She arched up into him and he was no longer denying that he wanted to do this, just kept reminding himself that he wasn’t going to do it anyway.  “You only get to scratch when I tell you to.”

 

 She laughed and it sent shivers down his spine.  “What are you gonna do about it?”  She asked.

 

 She might be an X-5 too, but Alec had more experience in this arena, from both training and personal experience, and he pushed her hands up against the slats of the headboard, holding them in one of his own.  The belt was wrapped loosely in one hand and he let it trail down her side, pulling her thigh up against his.  When she was moaning his name he brought the belt up in a small, sharp blow to the back of her thigh. 

 

 Her heady laugh started again and this time he brought his hand back up and wrapped the belt where he intended it to be.  It was quickly wrapped behind the slats of the headboard and pulled tightly against her wrists, strapping her to the bed.

 

 “Who knew you were this kinky Alec?”  she asked.  He started to sit back, but her legs caught him around the waist and she pushed him forward, grinding up into him at the same time she brought their lips together.

 

 She bit at his lower lip, sucked and nipped until he opened his mouth to her.  Her moans were hungry and desperate and he knew that his own were as well.  Damn, he didn’t want to do this, but he’d never wanted to do anything more in his entire life.

 

 He waited until her legs relaxed, or that’s when his mind came back to him and he knew he had to leave.  Had to leave before this got any worse for him than it already was.  He pulled away quickly, knowing she would try to stop him.

 

 “Alec?”

 

 “Sorry Max.  You’d hate yourself in the morning for this.”

 

 “Alec!  Let me up!”

 

 She began pulling at the bed, trying to get her hands free.  He watched, making sure the bonds would hold before turning to head out the door. 

 

 “Alec?  Alec, please?  I need you Alec!  Alec!  Get your ass back in here!” 

 

 Her pleas were desperate and demanding and more than anything, hotter than he could handle tonight.  So, he ran.  At first he wasn’t sure where to go or what to do.  Cindy was going to kill him when she found Max strapped to her own bed, but it was better an angry OC than an angry Max in the morning.  Max might actually kill him.  He could never tell.  It was the whole Ben/Alec thing that confused things for her.  Sometimes he was sure he wanted to kill him because he dared to look like Ben and others he thought it was only because of it that she didn’t. 

 

 He wasn’t sure if it was comforting or confusing to find himself on top the Space Needle now.  He sat down, looking across the sky at the lights and wondered when his life had become so strange.  Since Max had shown up?  Or since he’d accepted that he didn’t have to hide from everything anymore? 

 

 Yeah, well that was working just great, wasn’t it?  He took a deep breath and looked down at his hands.  For two years he’d worked hard not to care about anyone but himself.  Two years and he’d done quite fine with it, thank you very much.  Only Max had shown up and as much as she infuriated him, she amused him too.  She was smart and sexy, stubborn and caring.  Loyal to a fault.  He admired her ability to try so hard to fit in.  Alec had never wanted this life, but he had it now and the only way to survive was to adjust and adapt.  He’d changed his patterns and now suddenly realized he’d left things open, let her open him up when he’d wanted to remain closed. 

  

He knew it had happened after Rachael’s father had tried to kill him, knew without a doubt that her bearing witness of that event had somehow given her a free pass across all his sectors.  He didn’t know how to stop it but he needed to.  It was too late to keep her from getting in, but he could stop it now, before it got worse.  Before she understood what he would do for her, what he could give her.  Before she felt pulled between her loyalty to Logan, the man she loved but couldn’t have, and the responsibility she felt towards those transgenics she’d freed.  Before he needed and breathed –

 

He felt a hand on his back and didn’t bother to look back.  How she’d snuck up on him was a mystery but right now he couldn’t really think.  Damn it!  He wanted her, had always known she was beautiful even when they fought, even knowing it was all a cover for the deadly creature she could be, yet he still wanted her.  It went deeper than that though and Alec buried those thoughts.  He was too tired for it tonight.    

 

 Instead he leaned back into her touch.  “You’re going to hate me tomorrow.”

 

 “Never.”  He felt her slide up behind him, her chest to his back and her legs on either side of his hips.  He didn’t call her lie because right now she didn’t know it was one.    

 

 “You’re going to hate yourself for this in the morning.”

 

 She nipped his ear.  “You gonna tell me to stop this time?”  She asked.

 

 He looked back at her, taking in the sight of her dark eyes, mischief and passion and want showing as clearly as the stars in the sky tonight.  He shifted around, bringing their lips together and let himself enjoy the taste of her thins time, the feel of her against him and under him.  Her mouth opened for him and he leaned forward until she was on her back.  He pressed his body against her, felt her bucking into him as her legs wrapped around his waist. 

  

He broke the kiss, leaning his forehead against hers.  “Want this Max.”  His voice was soft but gravel as he spoke. 

  

“Shut up Alec.”  She said, her hand pulling at the hem of his shirt and pulling it off.  She smiled when he didn’t try to stop her.  His belt was already gone and she had his pants off in record time.  Her dress slid up easy enough and the silk panties she’d worn were discarded somewhere with his shirt now. 

 

This was not the original plan for keeping her from screwing any stranger just because she was in heat.  He wasn’t a stranger but part of him knew she’d have preferred a stranger to him.  He didn’t stop himself.  This was so far beyond fucked up and he was never going to see the end of this.  It wasn’t until he felt himself pushing inside her, felt the grind of her hips underneath his that he realized just how far he had fallen. 

 

 He could be anything he wanted with Max right now.  He didn’t have to be gentle like he did with other woman, didn’t have to worry about his strength being too much for hers.  Max could take whatever he wanted to dish out.  The only problem was that the dishing out was much more than the physical act and Alec was still trying to deny it.

 

 He thrust inside her hard and steady, even with the turmoil in his head.  The noises she made encouraged him to forget his concerns and then he was kissing and nipping wherever he wanted, ignoring the doubt and fear. 

 

 As he felt himself getting close to release he reached between then, his fingers teasing and touching lightly until firm circles had her body clenching around him and her nails digging into his back.  His own release followed it quickly and he collapsed a little to one side, half on the cold roof of the Space Needle and the other lying against her. 

 

 **

  

She was asleep now.  He’d managed to get them back inside the building at least before they both feel asleep and rolled off the damn thing.  He didn’t know why Max liked it here so much, but there was an empty sort of hope that came from looking down at the city at night.  The cold lights and distant sounds made it feel almost like he was a part of the whole.  In Manticore it had been easy to be lost in that, in the job and the training and the idea that you were there to do something special, something important.  Out here thought, there was nothing like purpose.  He lived day to day and never regretted that.  He’d learned heartache well enough from Rachael the first time. 

 

 And yet here he was, with Max’s head pillowed on his chest, his arms wrapped around her like he could save her from the rest of the world.  He would try, he knew.  If there was a way to undo all the things that’d been done to Max, he’d do it.  He’d find a way to reverse the damage done to Max and Logan, knowing she loved him in ways she could never love him.  Hell, she couldn’t seem to decide if she even liked him from one day to the next.

 

 He kissed her forehead lightly and closed his eyes, trying to sleep.  Morning was almost here already and he suspected her cycle was over now that she wasn’t trying to get into his skin with him.  He took a deep breath and sighed, because sleep wasn’t coming, then made up his mind about what he had to do.

 

 He couldn’t do this.  No matter what else he knew or doubted, he knew he couldn’t do this.  Max was a target that was going to continue to get shot at so long as she left herself hanging in the shooting alley.  He’d lost Rachael without ever telling her how he felt.  He couldn’t live with that sort of loss again. 

 

 He eased out from under Max, then found his clothes from earlier.  He gathered Max’s as well and laid them in a pile be her hand.  He thought about trying to write something to her, something to let her know he was okay with this, even if he wasn’t, but there was nothing to say.  Finally, he managed to come up with something.  An odd comment from Joshua, something Max had confessed to once, was more than perfect.  She stirred lightly and he moved quickly, writing a small note and leaving it on top of her clothes. 

 

>   _“Am I trick or am I treat?”_
> 
> _Alec_

 

 She’d understand what he meant by it, that it was a casual thing between them that never needed to be talked about.  It was up to her how she chose to look at him the next day, but in his own way he was letting her know it would never happen again.

 

Leaving the once comforting Space Needle Alec realized he was in over his head.  Last night had gone way out of control and everything was spiraling away from him.  He’d made love to Max last night, kissed her, loved her with everything that was in him.  She’d never feel the same way he did about her, so he had to move on. 

 

Of course that might be a little difficult, he thought to himself as he left the building and began walking away.  He could bury his emotions hard, could brush what had happened aside once Max confronted him about it.  He could even bury himself into every cute thing he met.  The one thing he would never be able to do though would be to look at the Space Needle and think of anything other than the fact that he’d made love to her there. 

 

Perfect.  In true Alec fashion, he’d managed to make life even harder on himself.  Instead of the steadily growing feelings that he had hoped to crush into oblivion, he’d managed to take the Space Needle and turn into a freaking monument of his love for Max.

  

Another day in the life of X-5494.    He looked up at the Space Needle one last time, wondering how long before Max would wake up.  He shook his head then turned away.  Not even those who knew him best would have been able to see the pain that shot through him as the mask he’d thought destroyed by Rachael came back into place, the mask that kept back the world and protected him. 

  

His voice was steady and his half smile was back in place.  “Yeah.  I’m always alright.” 

 

**Author's Note:**

> I've never written any fanfics outside of supernatural, and no het before so this was interesting and fun for me. This was written for the Fall Fandom Free For All, caithream asked for a heat!fic and this is what happened! I hope the characters were believable. I love the show and I was happy to write something for Alec, who is certainly my favorite. :P


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